Toddlers thursdays - chores

Did you help out doing chores when you were a kid? I didn't ... not in a routine way. My DM(mother) was a p* BO ... the idea of doing something any other way of the "right way" would totally freak her out lol. So I did almost nothing except for some rare close to mothers day moments.
I would like my kids the value of a common "home" where everyone shares responsibilities to bless the house in their own way. It's beyond a doubt, that as long as my routine are still this premature ... it's hard to expect them to have rock solid ones ... especially because their routines depend greatly on mine lol. But at least they start to get the idea that ...

1. after school: we change shoes, hang jackets and bags, wash hands
2. before bed: we pick up toys for one song (thanks Flylady and Housefairy), wash and brush teeth, have a story, drink some water ... go to bed
3. in the morning: wash and brush teeth, get dressed to shoes, eat Bf, take meds

You can imagine how proud I was when yesterday my DD4 was explaining our routines to my DM who is staying over to help me out while DH is away on a business-trip :)

Toddlers thursdays - getting them dressed

This is the first year that DH is taking the biggest part on him for getting the kids launched. Before, I was either home or the few days I had to go to work, we would launch one kid each. Now they both have to go to kindergarten, and I'm working mornings so DH gets them ready for school.

He does a wonderful job, even with his morning temper lol. But one thing I can't trust him to do is chose the kids clothes. Even when I lay them out beforehand, he manages sometimes to mix up DS and DD clothes ;/

Now laying out the clothes in good Flylady tradition is part of the evening routine ... and one of my big time challenges, both for myself as for the kids. As the gentleman pointed out with the problem of getting up early: "Fire your early morning manager", well my " evening manager" is risking his job too. Do I have to sum up his excuses? Lol. The tiredness? The five more minutes in front of the computer? The OMG now it's really time to get to bed, lets forget all the rest?

Anyway, although far from the well-oiled routine machinery. I know found a system that seems to work for me. I use these organizers you see on the picture. That one is from ikea and really cheap. But I got mine as a free gift with the groceries I bought. I would prefer two small chests with cute little tagged boxes ... but for now this will have to do.

Each "shelf" is a day, and I put all the clothes in there for each day, whenever I'm in there room to put away the clean clothes. I don't know where I stole the idea.... but it works wonders for me!